Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program featured in flagship UNECE publication on Source-to-Sea Management

The GEF-funded Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program, led by FAO, was featured as a case study in the UNECE Guidance Note for the Implementation of Source-to-Sea Management in Transboundary Basins, launched in October.

The publication aims to strengthen understanding of source-to-sea management and the linkages between lands, rivers, lakes, aquifers, coasts, and the ocean. It promotes an integrated approach to natural resource management and supports the health and resilience of transboundary ecosystems.

The Clean and Healthy Ocean Integrated Program addresses marine hypoxic zones by reducing coastal pollution from agricultural, industrial, and municipal sources through policy and regulatory measures, infrastructure investments, and nature-based solutions. Thanks to the contributions of FAO-GEF team members Lorenzo Galbiati, Lucilla Minelli, and Marco Sacchetta, the Program is showcased as an example of integrated action to prevent and reduce pollution from point sources (e.g. industries, urban wastewater) and diffuse sources (e.g. agriculture), ensuring that measures are implemented upstream to protect downstream aquatic and marine ecosystems.

The Global Coordination Project for the CHO-IP and 13 Country Projects were GEF-endorsed in 2025 and are now moving from the design to the implementation phase. The publication reflects a multi-partner effort and recognizes the CHO-IP as an essential initiative contributing to improved management of shared waters around the world.